Kilmarnock striker Kyle hits out at refereeing standards

Kevin Kyle has launched a scathing attack on the standard of refereeing in the Clydesdale Bank Premier League.

Kevin Kyle has launched a scathing attack on the standard of refereeing in the Clydesdale Bank Premier League.

He suggested Alan Muir's performance in Kilmarnock's 1-1 draw with St Mirren made the game virtually a non-contact sport.

The man from Stranraer claims Muir's performance not only led to the game becoming niggly, it also ruined it as a spectacle for the fans. And he claims even St Mirren's players were baffled by decisions awarded in their favour.

He said: "It got heated because the referee made it that way. There's 22 grown men out there and surely you can nudge each other now and again and be physical without being dirty?

"The referee stopped it for everything. It was almost as if the referee was blowing up for a foul before the ball even got to the player it was aimed at.

"I praise referees when they have done well but he was shocking on Saturday. I don't know why I was booked, it wasn't even a foul.

"Not everybody in football is friends but you still talk to players on the pitch at times when the ball's out. So I was saying to Lee Mair and John Potter 'you tell me that's a free-kick?' and they were turning back to me and saying 'it's never been a free kick'.

"I just don't know what referees see. I know we're at home and the crowd are in our favour but can 5,000 people and the players really be all wrong?

"He was not biased against (away side) St Mirren. They seemed to get everything. Jamie Hamill and Chris Innes had a tackle on the touchline and Innes held him down so he couldn't get away - and they got the free kick!

"That's not acceptable. The gaffer told me at half time to calm down and I know I've got anger-management problems but that would send a guy crazy!"